Jewelry articles such as earrings, pendants and chains can be stored and displayed in a variety of storage devices such as trays, holders or racks. The common type of storage device is a cushioned pad through which the earrings and or pendant posts can be inserted and through which mounting pins can be placed to hold a chain. Other storage and display devices that are in use today are platforms fabricated from wood and covered with cardboard and cushioned vinyl or felt. These platforms are provided with a plurality of tab extensions for retaining the jewelry items. These tab extensions are individually fastened by hand to the cardboard support by a thin wire which is twisted in place. As well, an ornamental band is typically provided about the perimeter of the platform in order to present an aesthetically pleasing display.
Other jewelry display and storage trays are provided with a plurality of openings for receiving jewelry holders. These holders are provided with pads which are normally provided with a peripheral pull tab, and are mounted in a framework or box divided into a series of closed bottom chambers. The peripheral pull tab allows the pad to be removed from the framework for closer inspection by the vendor or potential purchaser.
In order to effect a degree of storage economy, such a framework is often designed to stack upon a similar frame. This is often done by the use of spacer elements or a peripheral downward extending lip. Because the pads are of substantial thickness and are placed in a closed bottomed framework, however, the spacer elements must be of a size that prevents contact between the displayed jewelry and the bottom of the next stacked frame.
This requirement for additional height limits the number of tray frames which may be stacked in a given volume. Further, the use of the peripheral pull tab on the jewelry mounting pad often makes it difficult to remove the pad from the framework as often as insufficient amount of the tab projects upwardly above the frame. Further, the use of such tabs produces a somewhat untidy appearance. Still further the individual pads normally sit within the tray without any means for insuring that they remain affixed therein.
With reference to the aforementioned wood platforms, these platforms do not have the stackability feature as described herein.
As set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 4,432,456, a jewelry display and storage apparatus which is provided with an open grid frame and a plurality of domed jewelry display pads is provided. The walls of the frame and the display pads cooperate to form a mechanism wherein the pads are removably retained within the frame. Mounting means are located on the display pads for securing jewelry items thereto. The mounting means are offset so that a 180 degree rotation of the pad or frame clearance is established between jewelry items and adjacent frame levels when stacked.
However, this reference does not teach or suggest a jewelry display and storage apparatus having top and bottom frame members defining an open gridwork, the bottom frame member being matingly engageable with the top frame member so that when said top frame member and said bottom frame member are matingly engaged, the top and bottom frame members form a slotted channel about the interior perimeter of the openings of the inter-engaged frames for receiving and securing one or more jewelry mounting pads within the slotted channel. As well, this reference does not teach or suggest a jewelry display and storage apparatus having spacing means and groove means positioned on either the top or the bottom frame members for spacing the top and bottom frame members and for facilitating mating engagement.